Clothes-bar



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

A. L. MIHILLS.

(No Model.)

- CLOTHES BAR. No. 373,843.

\ Patents Nov. 29, 1887.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Shet 2.

A. L. MIHILLS, GLOTHBS-BAR.

4 No. 373,843. Patented N0v". 29,-;1887.

Zia? ewes;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFI E.

ANNA L. MIHILLS, OF PLATTSBURG, NEW YORK.

CLOTH ES-BAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 373,843, dated November 29, 1887.

Application filed May 14, 1886. Serial No. 202,161. No model.) i

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ANNA L. MIHILLS, of the city of Plattsburg, county of Clinton, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Spring-Roller Clothes- Bars, of-whi'ch the following isso full, clear, and-exact a description of a preferred means of carrying out my invention as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved device. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a detailed view of the roller, showing the location of the spring which operates the same. Fig. 4 is a detailed view of one of the bars or slots. Fig. 5 is a detailed view of the roller, showing how the fabric is attached to it. Fig. 6 is a modification showing the spring extending around the roller. Fig. 7 is another modification showing the roller operated by a fiat spring similar to the mainspring of a watch or clock. Fig. Sis another modification showing the roller provided with two of such springs. Fig. 9 is a modification of the way in which I attach the slats to the flexible supports therefor. Fig. 10 is another modification of the same. Fig. 11 is another similar modification showing round slats having holes extending through them supported by flexible supports, which are knotted to keep the bars in place. Fig. 12 is a rear elevation of thesame, showing the knots as both above and below the cross-pieces.

The object of my invention is to provide a clothes-rack which shall combine utility and economy, and which shall be, on account of its cheapness, within easy reach of the great masses of people who need devices of this sort, to be used for drying napkins, tidies, towels, and other similar articles. A

Another object of my invention is to provide a clothes-rack which may be let down to any desired height to accommodate few or many articles, and may be locked at any desired position to'prevent the same from unrolling so far that it will get down in the way when it is only desired to suspend a few articles to dry.

With these objects in view I proceed to accomplish the same in the preferred manner illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which A is the main cross-piece of my clothesrack, which is provided with eyebolts or loops at, and which is also provided at each end with cross-pieces B and B. One of these crosspieces is provided with a circular perforation, b, at its lower portion, and the other one is provided with a similar rectangular perforation, I). In between these cross-pieces is journaled the roller 0, which is provided at one end with a circular pivotal bearing, 0, and at its opposite end with a rectangular bearing, a. This roller 0 is provided at one end with a spring, d,one end of which is secured to the roller, while the other end is secured to the rectangular bearing 0, arranged similar to the ordinary use in curtain sticks which are adapted to automatically roll up. The outside of this roller 0, is provided with flexible strips D, which are secured to the outside of the roller by suitable tacks or rivets, or which may be secured to the roller by splitting the latter and extending them through the roller and tying them in a knot, or fastening them in any suitable way, as shown in Fig. 5.v These flexible strips D are provided with cross-pieces E, which are secured to the flexible strips by splitting the cross-pieces and extending the flexible strips through the slots in the crosspieces, or which may be secured to the strips by simply tacking them together or by using ropes or cords, as shown in Figs. 9 and 10.

The constructions shown in Figs. 11 and 12 are similar, and maybe used to advantage by simply boring holes through the cross-pieces and knotting the cord or rope below these cross-pieces to hold them in place. If it is desired, they may be knotted above the crosspieces as well as below, as shown in Fig. 12.

The lower cross-bar, E, is constructed longer than the other cross-bars, in order to prevent the tension of the spring from becoming entirely loose in consequence of the roller rolling up too far when the articles are removed fromthe crosspieccs. This long cross-piece E serves to prevent the device from entirely rolling up.

The operation of my device is as follows: First take a spring and insert it into the roller and give it a few turns to produce a slight dcgree of tension upon the roller and the rectangular bearing 0. Then insert the bearinginto the roller at one end and into the angular perforation I) in the cross-piece B, and insert the other end of the roller into the circular opening b in the cross-piece B. From this it will be seen that one end of the roller is vertically journaled in the perforation Z) in the crosspicceB, while the other end rotates freely upon the rectangular bearing 0, which is securedin the angular perforation b" in the cross-piece B. The tension of the spring should be sufficient to roll the cross-pieces entirely up around the roller when the clothes-rack is not in use.

XVhen it is desired to hang articles upon the rack to dry, all that is necessary is to take hold of the cross-piece E and pull the rack down as far as may be desired, where it may be locked in place by the pin 6. which extends through the perforation e in the cross-piece B,

which pin 6 also registers with a similar perforation, e in the end of the roller, as is clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Having described my invention, what I desire to secure by Letters Patent, and what I therefore claim, is-

In an automatically spring-acting clothesraclgas described,the combination of the roller provided with flexible strips and cross-pieces, one of which is longer than the others and engages with the side pieces of the support for the roller, with the support for the roller, sub stantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ANNA L. MIHILLS.

Witnesses:

ALFRED GUIBORD, FRANK N. MIHILLs. 

